Housing to play part in future of both old and new ABC sites in Adelaide
While the ABC office in Adelaide could be redeveloped for flats as staff move to a new building in the CBD, South Australia’s premier says the site the public broadcaster will move to will also include affordable housing.
Peter Malinauskas and ABC chief executive Kim Williams announced on Tuesday night that the ABC, along with Country Arts SA, the State Theater Company of South Australia and the State Opera of South Australia, will move to the site of the former bus terminal in Adelaide in 2031.
ABC chief executive Hugh Marks told ABC Radio Adelaide the existing eight-storey building on North East Road in Collinswood could be converted into housing, similar to the 11-storey The Watson building in Walkerville.
The Watson building belonged to the state government’s transport department and opened as a hotel and apartments in 2014.
The ABC building in Collinswood is 52 years old. (ABC News: Dean Faulkner)
Comparing the ABC building to The Watson, Mr Marks said the existing ABC office was “not a bad building” and had “great views”, but said a fair amount of work would be needed to prepare the 2ha site for sale.
“It’s a pretty big area,” Mr. Marks said.
“There are parts of this site that really need to be demolished.
“There is still asbestos in this area so there is development work that needs to be done, but I am sure there will be a balance in the mix between preserving some of the heritage and ensuring this is a modern development.”
Concept drawing of the new ABC building in the Adelaide CBD. (Provided by: SA government)
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam opened the ABC building in 1974.
It replaced a manor known as Tregenna.
Plans still to be developed
The ABC building in Collinswood is not heritage-listed but is zoned for employment rather than residential.
Mr Malinauskas said no application had been made to rezone the site.
“As a government, when we see strategic areas potentially changing use we do what we always do and ensure that any rezoning goes through a comprehensive process, but as it stands now that has not happened,” he said.
The public broadcaster and the South Australian government will partner with urban development agency Renewal SA to progress plans for the new centre, subject to public works approval.
The bus station to which ABC will move closed in 2008, and the state government’s land development agency Renewal SA acquired the site in 2023, naming it “Tapangka”.
In 2008, a new bus terminal was built across the road in place of the old bus station. (ABC News)
Mr Malinauskas announced three years ago that 392 flats would be built in the block, 35 per cent of which would be classed as affordable.
On Wednesday, Mr. Malinauskas said housing would still be included in the plans, although he did not commit to a specific number of homes.
“When we purchased the land, we made it clear that it was going to be a mixed-use development — a combination of affordable housing that fits within that $600,000 limit, market-based housing, as well as commercial use,” he said.
Another view of the new ABC building and arts center in the Adelaide CBD. (Provided by: SA government)
He said ABC has purchased land for its new building on the site and state government agencies will be tenants.
“Our $51 million investment goes solely to the state government’s arts institutions and the places they can access (facilities, infrastructure and accommodation), that’s where our money goes,” he said.
